The iconic and ubiquitous Kiwi shed has often been the spawning ground of many great inventions and innovations: think eggbeater, Hamilton jet boat, bungy jump A J Hackett, the jet pack, referees whistle and the worlds first flying plane built by Richard Pearse—to name a few.
It’s indicative of the Kiwi Can Do attitude and the ‘ol’ Number 8 wire’ philosophy that we are recognised by globally.
Anyone can come up with ‘the best idea since sliced bread’ but very few make it from concept to reality, which is often a very long and expensive process. Take the new RodASSISTA from Innovative Fishing Equipment Ltd, a Kiwi company based in Invercargill and with its roots firmly planted in back shed New Zealand. The gimbal waist belt to assist playing big fish with a rod is not new but business partners Brian Smith and Graeme (Rocky) Rickard have applied Kiwi ingenuity to invent a revolutionary new product that is… well the name says it all… a RodASSISTA !
Brian came up with the idea almost two decades ago; a commercial fisherman and recreational charter operator, he watched people from all walks struggle with rods. He thought there had to be a better way and came up with a rod holder strapped to the thigh, that ergonomically loads the rod without stressing the lower back or abdomen. It allows the fisher to maintain a natural pose while mechanically assisting in the rod action. A stainless prototype proved the concept was not only workable but exceeded expectations.
Enter Rocky Rickard, a veteran plastic engineer of 46 years experience and keen fisher himself. An entrepreneur and astute business manufacturer, Rocky had seen dozens of ‘game-changing’ ideas before and had developed an eye for what would work and what wouldn’t. After a trip to the Coromandel where he landed 8 kingfish in four hours and ‘did his back in’ struggling with a front gimbal, the meeting up with Brian and the RodASSISTA was serendipitous.
“I instantly recognised this to be a genuine gamechanger and immediately formed a business partnership with Brian— introducing Innovative Fishing Equipment Ltd and the birth of RodaASSISTA in the modern form.”
Developing the initial concept from metal to plastic was not as easy as it might sound, with around 400 hours spent in the technical design process. The rod holder component is constructed from 30% glass filled polyamide to withstand high loads, whereas the backing plate is made from acetal to provide the good wearing properties needed to tolerate repeated action. The backing plate and ring are moulded as one for added strength and wear, and is loaded with a stainless 316 spring to follow and assist the travel of the rod.
This unique ergonomic design transfers the load through the leg rather than the back, thereby following the natural ‘energy highway’ of the body; a far more efficient and less stressful transference of load than traditional gimbals.
An exciting aspect of the new revolutionary RodASSISTA is versatility: suitable for fishers of all shapes, sizes and age, it also a boon to those with disabilities who might otherwise struggle with fishing; once attached snugly, it can be worn all day, much like a pistol holster, and it doubles as an actual rod holder, allowing you hands free to bait up, release fish and tie rigs; and you don’t need to put the rod down once the fish is aboard, which invariably protects the rod from accidental damage.
The market is wide.
Traditional gimbal belts tend to be restricted to deepwater fishing from boats, whereas the RodASSISTA has already attracted the attention of the disabled, land based fishers, salmon anglers and those who target the monsters of the Mackenzie Canals. While those sporting injury or ‘bad backs’ will benefit from this new technology, it also has a key role in injury prevention. Fit able bodied fishers using RodASSISTA a will not only be less likely to suffer strains in heavy seas or with big fish, but their efficiency in playing difficult fish will be greatly enhanced.
Brian and Rocky will be demonstrating the RodASSISTA at the forthcoming Hutchwilco Boat Show and it is currently available on line and at some selected tackle stores. For more information: ifisheasy.co.nz
Trade enquiries: Call Brian on 027 326 4132 or call Graeme on 027 572 2136
